Nielsen, led by Nadeshiko, said, “We chose the best member at the moment”… and also mentioned Yamamoto Yuzuki, who was called up for the first time.
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On the 20th, the JFA (Japan Football Association) announced 23 members of Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) who will be taking part in the Brazilian expedition late this month. Coach Nils Nielsen, who leads Nadeshiko Japan, touched on the selection criteria for the members, and expressed his hopes for the new players.
Coach Nielsen, who was welcomed as the first foreign manager in Nadeshiko Japan's history in December last year, won his first championship in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, and has remained undefeated in four games so far, with three wins and one draw. Meanwhile, the Brazilian expedition to be held from May to June is scheduled to have two consecutive matches against the Brazilian women's national team, the host of the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
On the 20th, the members for the match were announced. The only person to be called up for the first time was Yamamoto Yuzuki (Nippon TV Tokyo Verdi Bereza), who won the 2024-25 SOMPO WE League Best Player Award, and the remaining players became, so to speak, “familiar” players.
Regarding the reason for this, coach Nielsen mentioned the selection criteria for the members, saying, “Brazil is a tough opponent this time, and we chose players who are ready.” As mentioned above, Brazil is also the host country for the next FIFA Women's World Cup, and declared, “In terms of being able to experience matches at the venue, we have selected players who are more likely to compete in the World Cup at this time, that is, the best members at the moment.”
On the other hand, it is necessary to uncover new capabilities as the next FIFA World Cup, which is about two years away. The 2025 E-1 Football Championship final is scheduled for July in Korea, and the tournament may be fresh in the spotlight. Coach Nielsen admits that he is always looking for and watching new players, but he also revealed that he carefully considers the timing to ensure that the players perform well and that continued playing time for the club will lead to selection for the national team.
“It's possible that sometimes they'll call the national team too early, and there are competitions with current players, so some players haven't chosen this time. There are a lot of talented players in the overseas and in the WE League, so people like me who are the ones who choose have a lot of options.”
“For example, I selected Yamamoto this time, but he has been performing steady and incredible throughout the season, so I decided to choose this time. The important thing is to continue playing consistently with the club he plays. If I do that, there will naturally be a possibility of being selected for the national team in the future, so I would like to convey that to the players as well.”
Yamamoto, who was called up for the first time, was a right wingback, as his club, NTV's Tokyo Verdi Bereza, used a three-back system, so his main battlefield was. 2024-25 As can be seen from the SOMPO WE League appearances and scoring eight goals, he is a player who can make a difference in offensive position and has also been active as a shadow and winger, but his registered position this time is “default.”
Coach Nielsen said of Yamamoto, “Personally, she won the MVP award and had an amazing season. I think she's a player who can contribute to the team. This is her first time selecting, so I think it's an opportunity to learn more than lead the team, but I hope she will showcase what she can do and her strengths. I think she has strengths in speed and physicality, so I hope she can express that.” The reason why the registered position became “default” was explained using the following words:
“I would like to try it out in practice before making a decision, but the position I'm lacking in Japan is SB (allback), so I'm thinking of starting out as SB. Of course, I know that her strength lies in offense, so I'd like to try out a lot of things. However, at the moment, I think SB is the easiest to get playing time.”
